Stitch-down shoe structure



July 11, 1939. 1. HOFFENBERG 2,165,927

' STITCH-DOWN SHOE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 21, 1959 INVENTOR //O/Q HOFFE/YEEG,

gk ATTORNEY Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

STITCH-DOWN SHOE. STRUCTURE Isidor Hoffenberg, Milford, Conn.

Application February 21, 1939, Serial No. 257,709

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to stitchdown shoe structure or construction and more particularly to improvements in the construction of the heel portion of such a shoe enabling a close edge heel seat method of manufacture which can be carried out much faster than the regulation method.

In making stitchdown shoes of the usual type, the leather of the upper is lasted with-a fold in near its edge at the bottom of the last so as to provide an edge portion which projects outwardly from the fold. The insole is positioned on the bottom of the last and the upper adjacent to the fold is secured to the insole by any suitable means such as stitching leaving the edge portion of the upper overlying the insole. After placing a welt piece in position above the edge portion of the upper to add to the appearance and strength of the shoe, the outsole is secured in position by a line of outsole stitching passing through the welt, the upper, the insole and the outsole. This method of manufacture produces a shoe in which the outsole stitching is visible around the heel portion of the shoe as well as around the edge of the sole to the front of the heel, the heel projecting at the sides and rear of the heel portion of the upper part of the shoe.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel stitchdown shoe of improved construction and appearance. Another object of the invention is to provide improved structure for the heel portion of the stitohdown shoe.

According to a preferred manner of carrying out the invention, there is provided between the heel portion of the insole and the last a heel piece or dutchman as it is known in the trade, and this heel piece may be beveled or undercut so as to allow the lining, counter and upper to be wiped in folded form in and under the bevel of the heel piece or dutchman and the stitching of these parts to the insole to be effected so as to urge the folded material under the edge of the heel piece. The outside stitching around the heel can then be effected through a usual welt and close to the upper and will be hidden in the finished shoe so that projection of the edge of the heel from the shoe may be avoided so that when the heel of the shoe is made in this way the shoe has in general the appearance of a Goodyear welt shoe of much higher grade.

Heretofore it has been proposed to construct the front part of the shoe by the ordinary stitchdown method and at the rear of the shoe tonarrow the insole and bring the upper around the edge to the bottom of the insole and secure lt thereto preparatory to securing the heel in position. It will be evident that according to applicants method the stitching can be carried completely around the margin of the shoe and attachment effected in a single operation, whereas, if the heel portion of the upper is secured to the insole in some other way, two diierent kinds of operation may be necessary, one for the front part of the shoe and the other for the heel portion of the shoe, and the cost of manufacture would be much higher.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear upon consideration of the following detailed description of the drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side View of a shoe embodying the present invention, the shoe being cut away at the heel to show the attachment of the insole and outsole to the upper, the counter and the lining.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a heel piece formed according to the present invention with an undercut edge and a front end tapered to gradually reduce the thickness;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a shoe partly in section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section showing a heel piece of the present invention resting on the upper surface of an insole; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing there is illustrated a stitchdown shoe I0 embodying the present invention and comprising an upper II, a lining I2, an insole I3, an outsole I4, a heel-stiffener or counter I5, a welt I6 and a heel piece or dutchman Il formed according to the present invention with an undercut edge at the sides and rear and a forward end so tapered as to decrease in thickness toward its forward edge.

In making the shoe I0, the upper I I, the lining I2 and the counter I5 are assembled and placed on a last (not shown.) and the insole I3 and the heel piece of dutchman II are placed on the bottom of the last with the heel piece between the last and the insole as suggested by'Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

The parts are so assembled that the material of the upper and the lining are folded and parts thereof extend outwardly over the top of the insole I3. Around the shank and the front of the sole, the lining I2 as well as the upper I I will extend outwardly for attachment to the insole and .around the heel portion of the shoe not only the upper and the lining but also the lower edge of the counter will extend outwardly over the upper surface of the edge portion of the insole.

After all the parts of the shoe have been assembled on the last, a line of insole stitching I9 may be run completely around the shoe to secure the outwardly folded parts to the insole.Y Along the shank and front part of the shoe the result will, as indicated in Fig. 5, be substantially the same as in standard stitclidown shoes. However, 10 around the heel portion ofthe shoe, a diiTerent result may be obtained due to the use of the heel piece Il with the undercut edge at the sides and rear and the tapered forward end. Due to the undercut edge of the heel piece the insole stitching I9 may be inclined and applied so as to draw the lining, counter and upper inwardly with reference to the shoe and act to force them under the overhang caused by undercutting the edge of the heel piece. This will render the upper part of stitching l 9 substantially invisible. Then the welt I6 is placed in position and the outsole stitching 26 is run around the edge of the sole, the part of the stitchingL at the heel being inclined. It will be evident that in forming both insole and outsole stitching in inclined position at the heel, the parts-of the machine tends to bend the edge portion of the sole away from the shoe and that,

when the pressure of the shoe against the Inachine is released, the sole will tend to return to its aosiat form and carry the stitching inwardly toward the shoe to hide it or render it less conspicuous. After the outsole I4 has been stitched, a heel 2| may be formed on the shoe.

The welt may be providedvwith a longitudinally uaextending out or scoring in the upper face thereof. The outsole stitching tends to bury itself in the cut or groove and deformation of the welt in the nishing operation also tendsto hide the outsole stitching at the heel.

40 A, Another important advantage of thevpresent invention is that the undercut edges act on the heel portion of the upper, including the counter and tend to hold the counter and associated parts in position.

45 A, It should be-understood that certain features may be varied and that certain features may be used without others, without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

outturned portion ofthe upper at its entire lower margin, the insole stitching around the heel portion of the insole being inclined inwardly and Hdownwardly to draw the upper and counter tol ward the space beneath the undercut edge of the heel piece, a welt over the outturned portion of 'said upper, an outsole, and aline of' outsole stitching passing through the welt and extending completely around the shoe, the portion of the outsole stitching around the heel of the shoe being inclined and close to the shoe to draw the welt inwardly and conceal the'stitching.

2. A stitchdown shoe with a close edge heel seat, comprising an insole, a heel piece over the heel portion of said insole, said heel piece being undercut at its sides and rear andtapered downwardly to a thin front edge, an upper with' a lining both folded to provide outturned portions around their entire lower margins, a counter in the heel portion of said `upper and having its lower edge outturned, insole stitching connecting to the insole the outturned portions of the counter and the lining and the outturned portion of the upper at its entire lower margin, the insole stitching around the heel portion of the insole being inclined inwardly and downwardly to draw the upper, the lining andthe counter toward the space beneath the undercut edge of the heel piece, a grooved Welt over the outturned portion of said upper, an outsole, and a line of outsole stitching passing the rough said welt and extending completely around the shoe, the portion of the outsole stitching around the heel of the shoe being inclined and close tothe shoe to draw the welt inwardly and conceal the stitching.

ISIDOR HOFFENBERG. 

